The Fool’s Folly
8.0
Rate It
Book
A gripping Yorkshire historical thriller you won’t be able to put down! Perfect for fans of S D...
Historical fiction Medieval England Richard III
Beholden (The Fairest Maiden #1)
9.0
Rate It
Book
In a land where being the fairest maiden is a curse . . . A beautiful noblewoman with a terrible...
Teens Young adult Medevial era Knights Princes Queen
Ash and Bramble
8.0
Rate It
Book
The tale of Cinderella has been retold countless times. But what you know is not the true story....
David McK (3245 KP) rated Blue Moon Rising (Forest Kingdom #1) in Books
Jun 24, 2022
this was my favourite book.
That was back in the early 90s, back when I was in my tweens and back before I had discovered the likes of Terry Pratchett or Bernard Cornwell.
I then lost track of the author for a good two decades or so, only recently re-discovering him when I happened to chance across the 'GraphicAudio' version of the novel on Audible.
I did wonder what a GraphicAudio meant: simply that it was fully dramatized with a full cast, background music, sound effects etc etc - basically, everything but the actual visual aspect! - instead of only one, maybe two, no more than a handful of people reading the story.
As for that story? Firmly in the fantasy genre - Princes, dragons, unicorns, Princesses, magic, royal politics et al - however I do remember when I first read it all those years ago thinking that I had never come across anything quite like it before. That still holds true to this day: yes, it does have all those familiar elements of a classic Good vs Evil story, but the real delight is in the subverting of expectations, and in the story of Rupert and Julia and the DarkWood / Blue Moon.
Merissa (11800 KP) rated Cosmic Cabaret in Books
Dec 12, 2017
This is an AMAZING anthology. You could even say it was out of this world! (Sorry, it had to be done!) Some of the stories involve insta-love, some of them have loved from afar for years. Some are people on the run, some are princes and princesses, some are both prince/princess AND on the run. What I'm trying to say is that there is something here for everyone.
Each story is very well written, with characters and situations that are completely relate-able, so long as you keep the sci-fi theme fresh in your mind. From doctors to spies to male dancers to Burlesque dancers, this anthology has it all. I didn't feel like a single story let it down, although I do obviously have my favourites. I have found some new (to me) authors that I will be reading more of, which is always a good thing. Absolutely recommended by me, and I'm hoping for more to come!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated The Trade of Queens (The Merchant Princes, #6) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Anyway, my one and only complaint about this book is that it's been too long since I read the other five, and that isn't Stross' fault. Or maybe it is, in a backwards sense, but only in that it takes longer for him to write than for me to read. If I'd stuck to my guns about not starting any series until it was finished, I'd be fine, but then I'd hardly have anything at all to read, would I? It's just that this particular series is full of intricate plotting and many characters, and I really could have used some sort of serious online reference for this world.
Some plot threads were tied up, and a few new ones were introduced. I'll could understand this book as a resting point for Stross, but not a stopping point! While most series would have lost my interest after six books, this one hasn't. He really is that good.
That said, some of the post-9/11 mania is a little dated, and it is good to be past that. I imagine he's glad to be done writing it, too. I wish our society were completely done with the erosion of civil rights caused by it, too.
Theatreland: A Journey Through the Heart of London's Theatre
Book
Paul Ibell's "Theatreland" combines historical narrative with a unique exploration of how London's...
The Skull Throne
8.0
Rate It
Book
In the grand tradition of George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan, Sunday Times bestselling author...
Overpowered!: The Science and Showbiz of Hypnosis
Book
Hypnotism has fascinated and inspired people since the mid-1800s, when entertainers and medical...